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kira-kira (kee' ra kee' ra): glittering; shining Glittering. That's how Katie Takeshima's sister, Lynn, makes everything seem. The sky is kira-kira because its color is deep but see-through at the same time. The sea is kira-kira for the same reason. And so are people's eyes. When Katie and her family move from a Jap... more »anese community in Iowa to the Deep South of Georgia, it's Lynn who explains to her why people stop them on the street to stare. And it's Lynn who, with her special way of viewing the world, teaches Katie to look beyond tomorrow. But when Lynn becomes desperately ill, and the whole family begins to fall apart, it is up to Katie to find a way to remind them all that there is always something glittering -- kira-kira -- in the future. Luminous in its persistence of love and hope, Kira-Kira is Cynthia Kadohata's stunning debut in middle-grade fiction.« less

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Another good Newbery winner, this is the story of Japanese children Katie and her older sister Lynn, second generation Japanese-Americans born in Iowa whose family later moved to Georgia. It is a simple story, told from young Katie's point of view, of two young minority girls trying to fit in a white world in the 50's and 60's. Their parents work hard to afford a house of their own, and when Lynn becomes seriously ill the toll on the family is even harder, and Katie has to grow up pretty fast.

This book is a wonderfully written story of life for an immigrant Japanese family in the 1950s/60s. The tight bond between the two sisters is a central theme of the book. It is a wonderful book that I, as a parent, enjoyed reading.

For the age range recommended, there were a few things that I, as a parent, would want to know: there are some basic swear words/phrases used in it. A handful at most through the whole book. Also, there are references to a vague description of french kissing and reference to the noises involved in making babies (when the little brother is born). These are all within context of the story, however every parent knows what is or isn't ok for their child.